Greenland’s parliament resumes work after Trump-related delay

Greenland’s parliament, Inatsisartut, reconvenes on Tuesday for its spring session after postponing regular business in February due to former US President Donald Trump’s statements about acquiring the territory, DR reports.

The 31-member parliament will now address 147 agenda items before the session ends on 18 June, including new legislation and policy debates. Key topics include potential changes to mandatory school testing, class size limits, rural helicopter infrastructure, and attracting data centres to Greenland.

Senior researcher Ulrik Pram Gad of the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) told DR that while Trump’s remarks forced a temporary halt to normal parliamentary work, long-standing challenges remain. “There are accumulated everyday political debates that were put on hold—issues like mining, the economy, and independence,” he said.

The session also follows a government reshuffle after the Siumut party left the ruling coalition in March. Four new ministers must be appointed, with an announcement expected as early as Tuesday.

Gad noted that Greenland’s political system faces persistent structural challenges, such as balancing economic development with welfare provisions across its vast, sparsely populated territory. “It’s an extremely difficult task to build a Nordic welfare state that functions in Greenlandic on such a large, dispersed land,” he said.

While Trump’s pressure initially disrupted parliamentary work, Gad said Greenland’s politicians must now manage both domestic priorities and potential external disruptions. Parliamentary procedures allow for questions on US relations during the session.